They endure hours in the chair getting poked and painted within an inch of their lives. Check out the coolest makeup artistry, special effects, and costume design.

Movie makeovers of the stars

Robert Downey Jr., 'Tropic Thunder'

On his controversial comedic role playing a black soldier in "Tropic Thunder," Robert Downey Jr. took a serious risk, but considering the film's success, it seems to have been a good choice. "I had no idea what I was doing. I just knew that I was going to be in special effects makeup. So I was either going to be really sorry I did this movie, or relatively happy that I participated in this," Downey said in an interview. "I thought that the whole idea was wildly controversial, and that maybe I shouldn't take my act on the road. But when I put on the makeup, it was one of those transformative, dumb-ass, self-important actor moments."